Your week 3 share includes:
Nonconformer Cucumbers
Galangal
Asian Pears (WAT)
Mississippi Peas
Ripe Jalapeno Peppers
Daikon Radishes (COG)
Roselle
Spring Mix
Yam Fingerling Sweet Potatoes
The Mississippi peas in this week’s share technically aren’t actually peas, they’re beans with roots that stretch back to Africa. Brought to the colonies by enslaved Africans, they were food for livestock and slaves before becoming a dietary staple for everyone. Families and neighbors often saved the seeds and passed them down through the generations. Other varieties include Crowder, Blackeyed, Southern, Field, or a host of other names that end with “pea.” Southern peas are adaptable and thrive in our climate with its intense sun and dry periods. They enrich the soil with nutrients as they grow, and they enrich our bodies with protein, fiber, and vitamins A and C.
In Southern and soul food recipes, peas and okra go hand in hand, a nod back to those African roots. The purple Mississippi variety you’ll taste this week is creamier and milder than the more well-known black-eyed version. We share a basic recipe with okra below that lends itself to experimentation. Try pairing them with other types of salted pork, onions, garlic, and herbs to find the taste/texture combo for you taste buds!
Mississippi Peas with Okra
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds fresh Mississippi peas
- water to cover
- 8 ounces fresh okra
- 4 ounces FSO bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Place peas into a large pot; pour in enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add okra and boil for 2 minutes, stirring twice.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; add bacon, sugar, baking soda, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until tender, 1.5-2 hours.
Spicy Roasted Daikon Radish French Fries
- 3½ tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1½ teaspoons chili paste
- 1 teaspoon Tamari or soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon galangal, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (use half the amount if you’re using table salt)
- 5 cups (about 1 ¾-pounds) Daikon radish, peeled & sliced
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 475°F, and adjust a rack to the center.
- Make the seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the oil, chili paste, Tamari or soy sauce, galangal, sugar and salt.
- Prep Daikon. Cut the Daikon into sections approximately 3-inches long, then cut about ¼-inch slices off the side of each one, to make a base. Stand the sections on their bases, and cut them, vertically into slices about ¼-inch thick. Stand these slices on top of each other, and then cut them into sticks about ¼-inch thick. Add all of the Daikon slices to a baking sheet and set aside.
- Drizzle this over the Daikon slices and then use your hands to toss them until they’re all evenly coated and in a single layer.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated 475°F oven and roast until they are golden brown on all sides, about 30 minutes. (You should gently toss/flip them about halfway through the cooking time.)
- Drain, cool and serve. Add a double layer of paper towels to another baking sheet, and when the fries are done, add them on top of the towels to drain and cool.
Roselle Walnut Bread
